VALHALLA, N.Y. – James Frederick Breden of Walden, and formerly of Valhalla, died Oct. 1 at Castle Point Veterans Hospital. He was 78.

Breden was a firefighter with Valhalla Volunteer Fire Department Company 1 for more than 40 years, where he previously served as chief.

The son of Edward C. Breden and Adaline Sampson Baker Breden, he was born June 4, 1934, in Mount Vernon. Breden served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and was a member of St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in White Plains for more than 40 years.

He and his wife, Gail, split their time between their home in Walden and a beach home in Frisco, N.C. Breden retired after more than 40 years as a master electrician for International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 501.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Gail; two daughters, Kimberlee Anne Breden, of Poughkeepsie and Christine Marie (Jay) Cookingham, of Hyde Park; a son, James Keith (Elizabeth) Breden, of Cortlandt Manor; and eight grandchildren.

Breden also is survived by four sisters, Alice (Carl) Ehmann, of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, Dorothy Palmer, of Sandy Creek, Florence (Carl) Kaeser, of Eastchester, and Henrietta "Cookie" Rossi, of Waterbury, Conn.; a brother, Philip Breden, of Lisbon Falls, Maine; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by a sister, Arlene Breden.

Visitation is from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Friday at Wallkill Funeral Home in Wallkill. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will be at Orange County Veterans Cemetery in Goshen.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Bridge Builders Community Church, P.O. Box 887, Hyde Park, NY 12538. Millspaugh Funeral Directors are handling the arrangements.